The department of Obstetric and Gynaecological Nursing (OBG Nursing), Manipal College of Nursing (MCON), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) celebrated the International Women’s Day (IWD) 2023, by observing the IWD theme for the year “DigitAll - Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality” and by conducting various programs and activities based on the theme. A brief report of the various programs and activities conducted as part of Women’s Day 2023 is as follows:

A poem competition was organized for the students and staff of MAHE, based on the IWD theme “DigitAll - Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality”. The participants in the poem competition were asked to give the choice to write their poems either in English or in the Kannada language – the state language of Karnataka and were also given the freedom to create their own sub-themes for their poems, based on the theme. The organizers received a total of twenty entries, both from the staff and students from various institutions of MAHE, Manipal. The received entries were then evaluated. The prize for the best poem category was secured by Dr. Mathangi Kumar, Assistant Professor, MCODS, Manipal, and the second prize was bagged by Dr. Sushma Belurkar, Additional Professor, Department of Pathology, In-charge, Haematology & Clinical Pathology, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal. A radio talk was aired on Radio Manipal 90.4 FM on 8th March at 4:30 pm and 9th March at 12:30 pm, based on the IWD theme – ‘Digital safety’. The radio session was conducted by the 2nd Year MSc Nursing -Obstetric and Gynaecological nursing specialty students - Ms. Reena D’Souza and Ms. Violet Elveera. An alumni guest lecture was held on 9th March 2023 at 3 pm for the benefit of undergraduate, postgraduate, and faculty members of MCON, MAHE, Manipal, based on the IWD theme ‘Digital safety for women empowerment’. The session was deliberated by Mrs. Ameeka Shereen Lobo, an alumna of Manipal College of Nursing (2014-2016 MSc Nursing), who is currently working as a Research Fellow at the Centre for Chronic Disease Control, New Delhi. The beneficiaries of the program were 65 UG and PG nursing students and six faculty members of MCON, MAHE, Manipal. An outreach program on the topic ‘Uterine cancer in women’ was organized on14th March and the sessions were deliberated by Mrs. Pratibha and Mrs. Ranjani Palanisamy, Assistant Professors, OBG Nursing Department, MCON, MAHE, Manipal, for the women residing at 80 Badagbettu Panchayath Region, Parkala, Udupi district. A total of 20 women participated actively in the sessions. The women expressed satisfaction for making them aware of the condition, thanked the organizers, and also clarified various doubts on the topic. Fun games, laughter sessions, yoga sessions, and refreshments were also organized for the participants. By organizing and conducting the various programs as part of Women’s Day 2023 the faculty members and the students of OBG Nursing Department, MCON, MAHE, Manipal memorialized the ‘Women’s Day 2023’ in a very meaningful way not only to commemorate the occasion but to celebrate womanhood, especially considering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4.5 and 4.6, for the benefit of the staff and students of MAHE, as well as for the women in the community. All the programs and activities for IWD 2023 were planned and coordinated by Mrs. Sweety J Fernandes, Assistant Professor, OBG Nursing Department, MCON, MAHE, Manipal.